Islamabad, July 9, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Türkiye, emphasizing enhanced cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, technology, and defence.
In a high-level meeting held in Islamabad with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, Prime Minister Sharif lauded the “longstanding fraternal ties” between the two nations, describing the bilateral relationship as one deeply rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual respect.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asim Malik, and other senior officials, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Expressing satisfaction over the current trajectory of bilateral relations, Prime Minister Sharif recalled his recent interactions with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, including their most recent engagement at the 17th ECO Summit. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to elevate the Pakistan–Türkiye relationship to the level of a strategic partnership.
Welcoming the inaugural session of the Joint Commission, co-chaired by Foreign Ministers Ishaq Dar and Hakan Fidan, the prime minister expressed confidence that the forum would inject new momentum into bilateral ties and deepen cooperation across multiple sectors.
Reiterating both countries’ unwavering support for each other’s core national interests, Sharif called for closer coordination in the face of a rapidly changing regional and global landscape.
He also thanked the Turkish leadership and people for their steadfast support during Pakistan’s recent tensions with India, underscoring the strength of mutual solidarity in times of crisis.
Stressing the need to expand bilateral trade to meet the $5 billion target, the premier highlighted Pakistan’s pro-business reforms and invited Turkish investors to scale up their presence in the country. He also urged Türkiye to share its technical expertise to support Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, structural development, and modernization efforts.
The visit by the Turkish ministers, part of a broader effort to revitalize the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) framework, is being seen as a key step toward institutionalizing deeper collaboration between the two nations across diplomatic, economic, and security spheres.
